Iran’s former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, faces sentences on seven verdicts of misusing billions of dollars in government funds while in office, the public prosecutor at Iran’s Supreme Audit Court said in a newspaper interview published on Sunday.

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said protecting security and dignity of pilgrims is central to holding a “majestic” hajj, calling on the Saudi government to keep a watchful eye on the organization of the ritual this year.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed the hope that Saudi Arabia would reconsider its regional policies, on the same day that he shook hands with his Saudi counterpart on the sidelines of a conference in Istanbul in a move that surprised many reporters.

Iran’s supreme leader on Thursday slammed the new U.S. sanctions on Tehran signed by President Donald Trump the previous day, and vowed his country would continue its missile program despite international pressure.

The swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani kicked off in the capital, Tehran, at 17:00 local time (1230 GMT) on Saturday in the presence of senior Iranian state and military officials as well as foreign dignitaries.

South Korea’s SK Engineering and Construction Co (SKEC) signed a heads of agreement on Saturday for a 1.6 billion euro upgrade of the Tabriz refinery in northwest Iran, the Tasnim news agency reported.

Iran’s jewelry market registered strong growth in the second half of 2017, with demand rising 20.5% at an annualized rate to hit 22.9 tons, according to a report by World Gold Council released on Thursday.

Iraqi fighters from Popular Mobilization Units have liberated more than a dozen villages near Tal Afar as pro-government forces and army soldiers work on a planned offensive to expel the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group out of its remaining urban strongholds in the country.

Iranian Supreme Leader’s top aide for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati underlined that his country and the European Union are against the plots hatched to disintegrate the regional states, including Iraq and Syria.

Foreign tourists usually visit Iran for its historical attractions; however, now that the country is being listed among the world’s top tourist destinations, two Iranian women are organizing tours of Iranian cuisine to make foreigners more familiar with Iranian foods and eating traditions.

In the first six months of 2017, more than 5500 applications have been recorded by the US Patent Office (USPO) for the nanotechnology-related patents, with US, Korea, Japan and Taiwan as the largest contributors and Iran ranking 22nd.